Marengo police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 4:51 AM Sunday June 11, 2017 to a report of a house explosion and fire at 602 4th Avenue Marengo, Il. Report of a house explosion with a neighboring home collapsed with two or three people trapped inside.

The explosion was initially reported in the 600 block of 4th Avenue with a report of two people trapped in a house. The house that exploded was on 7th Circle, and the house next-door to the exploded house was also leveled.

Command immediately requested an ambulance from Harvard and Huntley.

Fire unit 1105 on arrival reported he is on 7th Circle, took command of the incident, and raised the alarm to the second level for a MABAS BOX ALARM.

Fire Command reported one house fully-involved and four to six houses damaged. Eventually 50 homes were discovered damaged. At least eight to ten homes were believed to be uninhabitable at the time of early assessment after flames were under control.

Within minutes firefighters believed all residents were evacuated from their homes. Some were evacuated through windows. The residents of the home that exploded were on vacation in California.

Companies received a report of wires down at a campsite nearby, and about 136 ComEd customers lost power as a result of the explosion and fire.

Police were also called about 11:08 a.m. to respond to an armed robbery at the Marengo Community Pharmacy at 308 South State Street. A male/white subject, age 30, wearing glasses and a baseball cap was armed with a shotgun. A female/white accomplice was wearing a pink strapless top and jeans. The suspects demanded prescription pills and fled northeast on Taylor Street.

A very large police presence was already in Marengo to assist Marengo police officers. The McHenry County SWAT team, Harvard police, McHenry police and Woodstock police departments assisted Marengo. The suspects were found at a home near 305 North State Street, and after a two-hour standoff with police in tactical gear, the suspects surrendered by about 4:10 p.m. Sunday.

The suspects were identified as Timothy J. Hill, 28, and Nancy A. Eiring, 40. Both were charged with aggravated robbery with a firearm. The suspects were transported to a local hospital to check for possibly drug ingestion. After they were released, they were transferred to McHenry County Jail.

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